BambooHR vs Keka HR (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick BambooHR: it is second in our ranking of HR software, and it grades higher too, 2.4 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
BambooHR grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. Keka HR grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
BambooHR
HR records, hiring, time off and reviews, with US payroll as an add-on
Keka HR
HR, payroll and talent software for growing companies
Which one is for you
Pick BambooHR if
- Fits if you're moving staff details out of spreadsheets
- Works for US companies that want hiring, onboarding and time off in one system
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you're well under 25 people, as you pay the full $250 a month anyway
- Tight if you hire a lot on Core, which allows 5 job openings
- Skip it if you need payroll outside the US, as the add-on is US only
- Watch out: payroll and benefits are add-ons with no price published
- Watch out: the plan cards say $10 and $17 per employee for Core and Pro, the FAQ $10.25 and $17.50
Pick Keka HR if
- Fits if you want attendance, leave and reviews in one HR system
- Works for firms that want one monthly price per employee on the US page
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you want reviews and feedback, which sit on the $22 Growth plan
- Watch out: the trial length isn't stated and the billing basis isn't either
- Watch out: the default pricing page shows rupees, and the dollar prices are on the US page
- Pricey if you add hiring or project tools, which are priced on separate tabs
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABambooHRFair | 2.2GPAKeka HRFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DCore is a flat $250 a month for up to 25 employees, so a ten-person company pays $250, or $25 a head. It buys records, time off, hiring and onboarding. That's the dearest tenth of this category, where most charge $3.75 to $9 a person. | C$9, $16 or $22 per employee a month on the US page, against a category middle of about $7. The page does not say if it is billed monthly or annually. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a free trial with no card that ends on its own rather than turning into a bill. | DA free trial is offered on every plan, but the pricing page gives no length. |
| Features | BRecords and reports, time off with accruals, hiring with 5 openings, onboarding with e-signatures and an AI assistant, then reviews and 1:1s on Pro. The whole job, with US payroll and benefits as add-ons. | BCore HR, time and attendance, employee experience, performance and a mobile app. The listing names no gap in the core HR work. |
| Ease of use | B4.66 from 12,758 App Store ratings, just under the 4.7 that would make it an A. | CNo store rating on record. Leave, attendance and payroll rules need setting up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Slack, Greenhouse, Checkr, Culture Amp, Remote, Indeed and TalentLMS. No desktop app. | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps. No integrations list on record, and no desktop app. |
| Best for | small US companies leaving HR spreadsheets | HR, attendance and reviews for mid-sized firms |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: BambooHR and Keka HR. How we grade
Price against what you get
BambooHR starts at $10 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Keka HR starts at $9 a month for each person and scores 2.7.
BambooHR scores higher, and starts $1 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other HR software on the chart, none scores higher than BambooHR for less, and none scores higher than Keka HR for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- BambooHR also covers reports.
- Keka HR also covers surveys and time clock.
At a glance
| BambooHR | Keka HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $250 per month for up to 25 employees, then $10 per employee / month | $9 per employee / month; billing basis not stated |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial, no credit card required; it ends on its own | Free trial offered on every plan; length not stated |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | BambooHR | Keka |
| Price read from | bamboohr.com | keka.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
BambooHR
- Teams of 25 or fewer pay the flat monthly fee whatever their size; per-employee pricing, with volume discounts, starts above 25 employees.
- Payroll and benefits administration are add-ons for US employees only, and their prices are not published.
- The plan cards show $10 and $17 per employee for Core and Pro, while the FAQ on the same page says $10.25 and $17.50.
- Job openings are capped by plan: 5 on Core, 25 on Pro and 50 on Elite.
Keka HR
- The US page does not say whether the per-employee price is billed monthly or annually; its FAQ says annual contracts and larger headcounts usually lower the rate.
- The default pricing page showed rupee prices; the dollar tiers above are from the United States page.
- Hiring and project services are priced on separate tabs, and their prices were not recorded here.
- The trial length is not stated on the pricing page.
Key features
BambooHR
- Employee records and reports
- One database for people data, with a custom report builder, dashboards and built-in workflows for approving changes and time-off requests.
- Hiring and onboarding
- Post jobs to job boards, track candidates, send offer letters from templates, and give new hires a packet with e-signatures and an onboarding checklist.
- Time off
- Unlimited custom time-off policies with accruals, approvals and a shared calendar of who is out.
- Performance and recognition
- On Pro and Elite, run 360-degree review cycles, schedule 1:1s, track goals and give recognition points staff can redeem for gift cards.
- Ask BambooHR
- An AI assistant answers employees' questions about time off and holidays from company data, and on higher plans about policies and benchmarks.
- Payroll, benefits and time add-ons
- Add US payroll with tax filing, benefits enrollment with carrier connections, and time tracking with shift scheduling and an iPad kiosk.
Keka HR
- Core HR
- Employee profiles, org structure, document storage and letter generation, onboarding and exit workflows, and access roles.
- Time and attendance
- Leave management, attendance tracking, overtime automation and shift management, with leave data linked to payroll.
- Employee experience
- Pulse surveys, longer surveys, public praise and an employee expression wall on the higher tiers.
- Performance reviews
- Cyclic performance reviews, 1-on-1 meeting records and continuous feedback on the Growth tier.
- Hiring and project services
- Separate pricing tabs cover a hiring suite and a project services suite with timesheets and billing.
- Mobile app
- A mobile app for employees, linked from the pricing page to the Play Store and App Store.
Plans
BambooHR
Core$250
per month for up to 25 employees
Records, reports, time off, hiring with 5 job openings, onboarding and the AI assistant. Above 25 employees, $10 per employee a month ($10.25 in the FAQ).
Pro$425
per month for up to 25 employees
Core plus performance reviews, 1:1s, recognition and rewards, and 25 job openings. Above 25 employees, $17 per employee a month ($17.50 in the FAQ).
Elite$650
per month for up to 25 employees
Pro plus compensation planning with Mercer benchmarks, custom dashboards, HR benchmarks and 50 job openings. Above 25 employees, $25 per employee a month.
Keka HR
Foundation$9
per employee / month, billing basis not stated
Employee profiles, documents and letters, basic onboarding and exit, leave management, attendance, overtime and a mobile app.
Strength$16
per employee / month, billing basis not stated
Foundation plus advanced onboarding, exit surveys, employee pulse surveys, surveys and extra login options.
Growth$22
per employee / month, billing basis not stated
Strength plus 1-on-1 meetings, continuous feedback, public praise, cyclic performance reviews and selfie or GPS attendance.
Ways to pay less
BambooHR
- Nonprofit
15% off for registered nonprofits
BambooHR takes an additional 15% off for registered nonprofit organizations.
- Other savings
15% off when bundling payroll and benefits
Combining the Payroll and Benefits Administration add-ons with any plan gives a 15% discount, for employees based in the US.
Keka HR
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BambooHR or Keka HR?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Keka HR is cheaper to start with: $9 a month for each person, against $10 a month for each person for BambooHR. BambooHR starts at $250 per month for up to 25 employees, then $10 per employee / month, and Keka HR starts at $9 per employee / month; billing basis not stated.
Which has a free plan, BambooHR or Keka HR?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither BambooHR nor Keka HR has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.